Mathieu's retaining wall
A retaining wall with a difference
Mathieu has designed his dream home in France and from the ground up, using his eye for design and impeccable attention to detail he has planned the entire design and layout of both his new timber-framed house and large garden himself. His WoodBlocX retaining wall is no ordinary retaining wall either, it has multiple functions.
Whilst there wasn't an absolute need for a retaining wall in this area of the garden Mathieu was keen to utilise the steep mount of earth and make sure it was retained properly due to the neighbouring trees which could potentially loosen the ground. He did have a design in mind for his WoodBlocX retaining wall and used our Free Bespoke Design Service, our team worked with his measurements and ideas to visualise the project and advise in any changes to make the final design the best possible solution for the space.
The design
Initially Mathieu looked into using a classic concrete block wall but didn't want a render or stone facing finish as a self-confessed eco-geek and after following a clean building approach, those materials wouldn't be the best options for this project. Thankfully WoodBlocX proved to be a great option, the modular nature of the system provides the versatility to create the design that Mathieu visualised and the sustainable credentials are perfect for conscious projects like this one.
On paper the design appears to be a long retaining wall with multiple planters, protruding outwards however, the planters create functional alcoves for seating, relaxing and cooking making it a truely functional retaining wall.
Building BlocX
Mathieu built the retaining wall himself on and off over a couple of weeks. Our retaining walls do not need any significant foundations, they do need to built on a surface that has been levelled, this can be done by digging out a small quantity of earth, use building sand and a spirit level to check the level. When building on soil or grass are fixed in place using our ground spikes, these strong metal rods are place in the base layer of BlocX and need to be knocked into the ground using a mallet.
How did you find building with WoodBlocX?
Mathieu says: "Almost as easy as putting together a big LEGO kit! It's very well done. In the end, the most complex part was not the assembly, but the preparation of a 14 meter level area. Once the ground is ready, the line in place, you just have to follow the step-by-step instructions, which are very clear.
"I built the retaining wall by myself, and I went faster than the estimate that had been made. And I don't think it's because of me, but because of the ease of assembly of the system."
Buttresses and liners
We recommend adding a liner to the back of your retaining wall and also part backfilling it with a good drainage material such as pea-gravel, this will help to protect the wood.
We include buttresses in our retaining wall designs, these help to tie the structure into the landscape.
Key features
The finished design
Mathieu's design moulds into the landscape of his garden perfectly. It has succeeded in creating a strong and robust retaining wall for the space at the end of his garden making the top of wall a useable space for planting and a platform for additional garden seating. The various sections which protrude outwards from the main wall have created an interesting design feature and also a series of sections; one for a BBQ, one for an integrated WoodBlocX seat and the third has been left open and turfed.
Retaining walls
WoodBlocX retaining walls make a great alternative to brick, block, gabion or even railway sleeper retaining walls. Like all of our products our retaining walls are built in the same way using our lightweight blocks and strong dowels so there's no significant foundations needed, no waste and you can build the wall yourself following our step-by-step instructions saving significant amounts of money on labour costs.
There's three ways to buy a WoodBlocX retaining wall, you could choose a pre-designed retaining wall kit, but we know very well that a wall needs to fit a space perfectly, therefore the most popular buying options are our retaining wall calculators where you can add your own measurements to get an instant price, or like Mathieu use our Free Design Service and our designers will work with you to help you get exactly what you need for your garden.
